Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-10-06

you have family to bring up, that yoC
have bills to pay and must not be inter.
fered with. You say this to me, think of
it! Since the day we came here we have
worked and planned together. Lizzie is
already skillful housekeeper, and |
/ think possesses as many accom- plishments
/ as most girls of her age. l must say that
you have brought her up well and will
not be so unjust as to withhold jus. com
| mendations.n
The lines about Johns mouth began to
relax. "Our children she continued,
ARE bright, happy and Industrious; and
| I feel sure that the name they bear will
never be disgrGced by them under any
circumstances. A woman who can train
her children properly, keep her house
/ and all matters pertaining 10 it well ia
hand, has an equal right with r hus-
band to cay what use shall be made of the
money she has helped to earn. | now
! demand that right. We will not buy
more land mt present, but will build the
upright and make oGr home comforta.
/ bic"
John looked at the soor IS though it
was giving way. | have no doubt had
/ he been living in South Carolina he might
have thought it an earthquake, for il
came Us suddenly and unexpectedly
while it left him with that dazed and be-
wildersd sensation attendant upon what
is called "good shake"
| Elizabeth sat down, took up her knit
ting as though nothing had happened
/ and waited the result.
/ john walked to the window, came back,
| looked at the CLOCK and finally said:
Then this is your declaration of indie
pendence, is it, Elizabeth? Wen, | will
70 to the village but win try and come
home early
| {, Elizabeth went to the wiRaow, he look
ed back and seeing her there lifted his
hat and smiled. Johns smile went good
ways and it was too much for her just of
that moment She broke down complete
! ly. But il was natural. 1t was the neal-
est to a quarrel they had ever come. One
note after another came from the trees;
the birds evidently thought it would come
out all right.
| QElizabeth finally cheercd up and she
and | had a pleasant visit, as we always
did. About o'clock / started for home
and on passing down the street ] saw
John talking with Mr.. Millbank, the best
carpenter in the village.
The next day Lizzie came over and told
me all about it, The children had heard
/ part of the conversation and set their wits
70 work how TO help their father defray
the expenses. John offered to sell the
colt his father had given him on the pre-
vious Christmas. Nellie got ont her
money box and gave him the entire
amount of her savings; bnt when Paul
hammered and battered away at his little
tin bank until he bursted it and came up
with the broken bank in one hand and its
entire contents in the other and offered it
| to his father to aid him in building the
upright John was mastered, and after
giving full vent to his emotions he kissed
each one, and after returning to them
their money, to which he added quite a
sum, SAID that he had engaged men to
build the "upright," and that before
Christmas it would be completed.
He bothered Elizabeth by trying to
make her repeat the exact language she
used in her declaration as he called it,,
He told her it was just splendid and that
although he hated to give ia about that
land he did not quite see how he could
help it.
They decided to make the double par
| lors with large bay window in the front
! and q Fireplace in the back parlor. The
weather proved fine and the house grew
rapidly toward APPLETON. The child
rem roamed through the woods for leaves
and moses to decorate with and hap
pier family never saw. John can over
! one morning and confded secret in me.
He had Elizabeth's declaration" printed
! in golden letters on blue ground and
/ xEtu M
me to have charge of it and manage
| to have it hung in the front parlor on
| Christmas morning as II surprise to his
wife.
| Secrets are contagious. Lizzie had of
ten heard her father regret not having Il
picture of her mother dressed as she was
on her wedding day. SO one afternoon
she brought out the dress which her moth
er had carefully kept and on her own ac-
count begged her to dress her hair as she
wore it on that occasion, wear the same
dress with cluster of purple daisies at
her throat and have her picture taken. At
first Elizabeth thought it foolish; but re-
Numbering how she treasured the little
picture she had of her mother she con
| scented. She made a charming picture. If
her face had lost some OF its freshness it
had lost nothing of its sweetness.
Before she was married, some one re-
marked that il was a pity she should
marry a farmer, as her fine manners and
! exquisite taste fitted her SO well for so
cial life. But liked to think of her in
her country home among the lilies, lark
spurs and holyhocks as tall as herself.
After many busy weeks the house was
| finished and very neatly furnished
| Christmas came in clear and cold, but the
sun never shown more brightly. John
seemed boy again, so proud and happy
was he of the ntw and beautiful up
right" Bright flowers bloomed in the
windows, glorious fire blazed and
cracked in the CRATE, and comfort reign
| ed supreme.
Finally the guests who had been inyit-
ed began TO arrive. We received them in
the sitting room until all had come.
Lizzie and held private consultation
in the parlor, after which John led the
way and welcomed his cid friend and
neighbors to the new upright" Point
ing to the frame hanging on the wall, he
said: "Yeu have all heard Of the Decla'
ration of Independence, and remember